Cosecha del crimen

'The Harvest' is one of those viewing experiences that gets by largely on mood & atmosphere. It features a bunch of ingredients - interesting theme, damaged characters - that when blended together go down smooth like a refreshing drink. It's the after taste that's off putting.

Charlie Pope (Miguel Ferrer) is a burnt out screenwriter who gets a paid trip to Mexico to try and turn in one final draft of his script he's been churning for two years that will appease the studio and his headache of an agent (Harvey Fierstein). Doing so he finds the original basis for his story is incorrect. More importantly he meets a bunch of characters - particularly Natalie (Leilani Sarelle) - and loses a kidney in the process.

I've watched a lot of movies so when a plot deals with a writer I know enough to see where things might be going. You have to question if what you see & hear is fact or fiction. Add in the usual tropes about foreign countries where you don't speak the language, police corruption, holiday romance and you've just summed up 3/4's of this film.

Writer/director David Marconi's 'The Harvest' has two things going for it. Standout acting from Ferrer & a great musical score. Unfortunately as the tagline states "They stole one of his kidneys. Now they've come for the other one" the movie is playing loose & unfair with the rules. It's a fine trip up until that point of no return though.